Ever since Jason Kidd said Jaylen Brown is Boston’s best player, the Celtics have been struggling with outside opinions.
Jrue Holiday’s Clarification:
After beating Dallas 105-82 in Game 2 on Sunday, Jrue Holiday clarified his stance. “I do not prefer one or the other. I prefer both,” he said. “Both of them are superstars, and it’s being shown out here on the biggest stage in the world.”
Jayson Tatum Under Pressure:
Despite this, Jayson Tatum has felt pressure about not being seen as the team’s superstar. He doesn’t care about flashy plays; he just wants to win.
Jayson Tatum deserves respect for what he’s doing@ChrisCanty99 via #USL on @ESPNRadio
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN)
“We always talk about doing whatever it takes,” Tatum shared. “It has a lot to do with that I’ve been here before and we didn’t win.” Interestingly, Tatum has led Boston in rebounds for both games.
He’s also been selfless on the court, participating in pick-and-rolls and defending against Dallas’ strong offense. “I draw so much attention; I’m not always going to get the shot,” he explained. “Every time I take a couple dribbles, there’s like three people right there.”
On Sunday, Jayson had 12 assists along with his 18 points and 9 rebounds. “It wasn’t like I had to do anything spectacular,” he said. “It was just about finding the open guy.”
Sometimes I think teamwork is more important than individual talent.
Holiday was crucial too; he’s one of the league’s top defenders. He mentioned needing teammates to support him when driving towards the basket: “Sometimes when I drive and get stuck, I need somebody to drift with me.”
Mazzulla’s Team Focus:
Coach Joe Mazzulla is tired of debates over who Boston’s star is because his team thrives on unity and teamwork.
“I’m really tired of hearing about one guy or this guy or that guy,” Mazzulla expressed postgame frustration.”Everybody that stepped on that court made winning plays on both ends of the floor.”
The next NBA Finals games will be Wednesday and Friday in Dallas. Boston hasn’t lost an away game during these playoffs yet! Historically speaking, they’ve won their first two games nine times before—and took home eight titles from those situations.
“Coming into a game feels like solving a puzzle,” said Coach Mazzulla.“Tonight was all about making smart plays at the rim based on how they were rotating defensively.”
